What requirements must a certification scheme meet?

A certification scheme must make its conditions, including its requirements, publicly available and meet four criteria:

• It is open to all traders willing and able to meet the requirements, on transparent, fair and non-discriminatory terms.
• Its requirements were developed in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders.
• It provides for procedures to deal with non-compliance and for withdrawal or suspension of the label.
• Compliance is monitored by an independent third party under an objective procedure.

All four must be met. The criteria are set out in Section 2(2)(6) UWG.